The famous Woolpack pub is at the centre of Emmerdale village life. It’s the second home to many of the locals and the place of dramas, affairs and fights. Those four walls have seen and heard it all!
There’s rarely a dull moment to be had in The Woolie, and the boozer wouldn’t be the same without the powerhouse landlords and landladies at the helm.
The iconic pub has changed hands several times over the years, but what names have been above the door?
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and have a look at the licensees, now and then….
The owners of the Woolpack pub in Emmerdale
Amos Brearly and Mr Wilks 1972–1991
In the beginning there was Amos Brearly and his trademark bushy sideburns.
Amos became landlord of The Woolpack way back in 1948. He had already been at the helm for almost quarter of a century by the time viewers met him in 1972. He was a terrible gossip, prone to moodiness and something of a loner.
In 1973, Henry Wilks – who Amos always referred to as Mr Wilks – joined Amos behind the bar. The men went into business together and created an iconic partnership.
Henry first came to live with Amos after his own house was destroyed by a fire, but ending up staying on.
Although they frequently bickered and Amos’s most used catchphrase was “Nay, Mr Wilks” the pair managed to stick it out for 19 years.
The Woolpack changed premises in 1976 after the original building was found to have subsidence. Henry and Amos purchased a new site for the pub, where it remains to this day.
Having survived being held hostage in an armed robbery, a stroke and subsequent fall ended Amos’s days as landlord.
Henry stayed on for a while, but didn’t see eye to eye with the pub’s new owner, Alan Turner, and left shortly afterwards.
Alan Turner 1991-1999
Ruthless businessman Alan Turner was one of the most unpopular men in the village when he bought The Woolpack in 1991.
However, running the local boozer actually mellowed Alan and the punters grew to love him.
Alan put his own stamp on The Woolie by modernising décor and turning part of the pub into a fancy wine bar – which was destroyed in the plane crash of December 1993.
He was joined behind the bar by his wife, Shirley, who was sadly shot and killed just months after they had married.
After Shirley’s untimely demise, Alan employed a series of locals of manage his pub, including Terry and Britt Woods and Bernice Blackstock.
Alan suffered a heart attack in 1999, after which he decided to sell up to his close friend and Bernice’s mum, Diane Blackstock.
In the years that followed he remained living the village and would frequently prop up the bar.
The first female Woolpack owner in Emmerdale
Diane Sugden 1999-2010
The first female owner of The Woolpack was Diane Sugden, who was a complete natural behind the bar. Her firm but fair approach meant that the locals always knew where they stood.
The gregarious Geordie originally co-owned the pub with her daughter, Bernice. After that Aussie Louise Appleton became her new partner and there was a brief (and tumultuous) time that Diane’s sister Val came on board.
It was also during the Diane years that The Woolie’s chef Marlon Dingle served up his first bar snacks.
Diane put the pub on the market in 2010 after planning to relocate to France with her then-partner Charlie Haynes. She wasn’t gone long though…
Jimmy and Nicola King – 2010
Jimmy and Nicola King‘s time in charge of The Woolpack was brief to say the least.
The couple took over the business from Diane, but were never really cut out for managing a busy pub.
Affable Jimmy did a better job of charming the customers, but the locals couldn’t really warm to his spiky wife.
Nicola quickly realised she had quite enough on her plate caring for their young daughter Angelica, so with that the Kings reign was over.
Diane Sugden (again) 2010-2016
Diane hotfooted it back from France after discovering Charlie was a conman and reclaimed her rightful place behind the bar.
Realising she couldn’t do it alone, Diane accepted an offer from long-serving barmaid Chas Dingle to buy into the business and the ladies proved to be a formidable duo.
Diane very nearly quit the UK for Oz in 2013. She was on the brink of giving Chas the whole pub, but ended up changing her mind at the last minute.
Then three years later she received the shattering news she was suffering from cancer. The shock diagnosis made Diane look at her priorities in life. She decided it was time to step down and sell her share of The Woolie to Chas. Which she did.
The Dingles take charge of the Woolpack in Emmerdale
Chas Dingle 2016-2021
Once Diane retired, Chas was finally able to make the Woolpack her own. Her cousin, Charity Dingle, bought into the business, but their partnership was far from harmonious.
While Chas was a natural with her punters, Charity was rude and abrupt and made it evident she couldn’t be bothered to put in the hard graft.
After growing sick of Charity’s attitude, Chas persuaded her to sell her share to Marlon, the pub’s long-standing chef.
Marlon proved to be a much more reliable partner. However, tough financial times resulted in Chas agreeing to allow Al Chapman into the business. It was disastrous mistake and one that cost Chas dearly.
Bent Al went on to torch The Woolpack as part of an insurance scam and Chas was forced to sell up.
2022-present day: Charity Dingle and Ryan Stocks
The Woolpack is currently co-owned by mum and son team, Charity Dingle and Ryan Stocks.
After Al’s plans to convert The Woolpack into swanky flats went up in the flames (quite literally), the pub was put up for auction.
In a shock twist, the highest bidders – and new owners – were revealed to be Charity and Ryan.
This time, Charity seems more willing to get stuck into the day to day running of the watering hole, while Ryan manages the financial side of things.
And Chas still has her hand in, working as the Woolpack’s bar manager.
Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns
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